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[Blink and you'll miss it, as things tend to go these days—Tetsu holds her shield up between a monster and Etsuko, all hovering in the air; she hears the shouting down below; first catches sight of the boy who summoned the creatures; then, Mari.

Etsuko slides around Tetsu as the creature makes contact with her shield. Got it, Etsuko says as the sword strikes, as Tetsu starts to descend.]

Mari-chan, [she tries to call over the shouting just before she enters her field of vision, alighting gently between the boy and Mari, shield up. She leaves some space between them, trying to allow Mari the moment she needs to recognize that it's Tetsu, that she isn't a threat, before she takes one careful step forward. Her back is to the villain, the boy, who watches with wide eyes.]

Hey, Mari-chan, it's okay. See? [She speaks so sweet and soft and even, calm and careful.] It's okay. Put the gun down, and Etsuko-chan and I will take care of the rest, all right?

Edited (forgot a -chan) 2020-12-28 18:52 (UTC)

[Mari is tired.

Tired of this world where nothing makes sense. Of these battles where both sides act like it's just a game. Where nobody seems to understand the stakes that come with a fight. Why bother playing along? Why not win?

She doesn't lower her gun, pointed at the enemy. Even if Tetsu is between her and her target.]

Why?

He's just going to come back and attack again. Don't you want this to be over?

I don't. Not like this.

[She takes another step closer. She lowers her shield, just a little.]

We're safe. [She breathes out the word, certain and assuring.] He's not gonna kill us. Even if he could, he's not gonna try. A little trouble's not worth a whole life.

Then what about next time?!

[Mari's sure she's right. She's sure that this is the way.

So why are her hands shaking?]

You can't be sure that you'll stop him every time! How long can you play their game before someone gets caught in the crossfire? How many lives is HIS life worth?!

Edited 2020-12-28 19:23 (UTC)

It's worked this many times, hasn't it? Why won't it work next time? If we kill him, and we're wrong, he died for nothing. That's just too sad.

[Closer, now, lowering her shield entirely when she sees Mari's shaking hands.]

I'm gonna put this away now. Etsuko-chan's going to take care of the monster, so I don't have anything to be scared of. We're safe.

[When she lowers the arm her shield is strapped to down to her side, the shield vanishes in a puff of pink sparkles.]

Edited 2020-12-28 19:26 (UTC)

He'll die for all the suffering he's caused, and all the suffering he WILL cause!

[Mari understands her anger and frustration, but something about this feels wrong.

Why is she afraid? What is there here for her to be afraid of?]

Get out of the way. I don't want to shoot you, but if I have to, I... I will.

Uh-uh.

[She's close enough now to reach out and take Mari's hand, if Mari were to reach, too, and meet her in the middle. Tetsu could try to wrench the gun out of Mari's shaking hands if she seized forward, just a little.

She doesn't. Instead, the same pink sparkles glitter at her feet, at her chest where the heart is carved into her armored breastplate, at her arm where her prosthesis turns into a shining gauntlet. They fade, all at once, into those same clouds of sparkling pink. The bow in her hair fades and her hair falls out of the ponytail and messily around her face, strands hanging in her eyes. Tetsu is left in her white blouse and long pink skirt, defenseless.]

We can fix the places the pavement got broken, Mari-chan. Even if someone's a little late for work because the monster got in the way, they can try again tomorrow. But no one gets to try again if they're dead. That's why no one's gonna get killed here. See?

[She opens her arms out to her sides.]

I'm not scared. There's nothing I have to be scared of. We're safe.

[Tetsu can probably tell by now that Mari isn't going to shoot. She looks like she's almost forgotten she's holding a gun - looking at Tetsu instead of through her.

There are tears in her eyes.]

How... are you not scared...?

Don't you know how high the stakes of these battles are? How can you possibly understand that and not be scared?

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